By the Lakeside, in a Quiet Cabin (VIII)
Haruto Saito, who had been sleeping soundly on the wooden cot, suddenly found his breathing becoming rapid. In the next instant, he snapped his eyes open and sat up abruptly, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead. His wide eyes scanned his surroundings...
Another nightmare!
Haruto blinked twice and let out a long sigh. Then, frowning, he muttered, "Damn it! I've already returned to the village, so why am I still having nightmares?"
After sleeping for another two hours, Haruto glanced outside at the sky, then swiftly got off the cot. He examined the cot, then looked down at himself.
"Could it be because I didn't take off my clothes or shower?" He started speculating wildly—it was almost like some kind of supernatural logic.
He used to have a bit of a cleanliness obsession, but Tsunade had "cured" him of it to a large extent. Later, his experiences in the Land of Rain made him completely disregard issues of cleanliness. The obsession was entirely overcome. So, this time, after returning home, he hadn't even bothered to remove his dusty outer robe before collapsing onto the bed.
"A bath, a clean sleep robe—maybe then I won't have nightmares?" Haruto mumbled as he walked toward the door.
Not long after, inside the bathroom adjacent to the cabin...
"Ahh... this is nice..." Haruto sighed contentedly as he soaked in the wooden tub filled with warm water. When he was out on missions, he always had to bathe in cold water. Compared to that, soaking in warm water felt like an entirely different experience.
After a while in the tub, the already exhausted Haruto began to feel drowsy again. His eyes slowly closed as he drifted into a light sleep.
He had no idea how much time had passed.
Suddenly, he felt the presence of another person in the bathroom. His instinctive perception skills triggered a warning, but it was vague—unclear. Half-asleep, he gradually became more alert, enhancing his sensory focus.
Then, his eyes snapped open.
There was indeed someone else in the bathroom!
The figure was not very tall, dressed in a red-and-white robe with a flamboyant cape hanging from their back, and wearing a wide-brimmed hat. If it weren't for the sheer authority of this individual, Haruto, who had been startled, would probably have cursed and told them to get the hell out.
The character "Fire" emblazoned on the hat was glaringly conspicuous.
"Hokage-sama, why are you here?" Haruto shrank deeper into the water.
Yes, the visitor was none other than the Third Hokage of Konohagakure—Hiruzen Sarutobi!
Sarutobi wore his usual stern expression, glancing at Haruto in the bath before saying seriously, "Get dressed. I'll wait outside." Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked out of the bathroom with his hands behind his back.
Haruto tilted his head, watching the Hokage leave, still in a daze.
What the hell just happened?!
Sarutobi's sudden arrival was completely unexpected!
Not only had he come without any prior notice, but since Haruto's arrival in the world of the Hokage, he had only met Hiruzen once before—that time being when he had killed an elite jōnin from the black market.
Sarutobi's status was extraordinarily high. In the entire ninja world, he was among the most powerful and revered individuals. Haruto had been prepared for the possibility of being summoned by the Hokage and had even planned to coordinate with Tsunade to demand a suitable reward. But instead, Hiruzen had come to see him personally.
This caught Haruto completely off guard!
Hiruzen Sarutobi rarely visited people in person. He was the Hokage, the so-called "God of Konoha," one of the greatest leaders in history. Compared to him, Haruto's status was pitifully low. It wasn't a matter of Haruto underestimating himself—it was simply that Sarutobi making a personal visit to see someone like him was highly unusual.
"This is serious..." Haruto muttered to himself as he snapped out of his thoughts. He quickly climbed out of the tub, wiped himself down with a towel, then formed a hand seal. With a puff of white smoke, he was fully dressed.
Aside from his black armor, everything he wore was fresh and new, including a black robe draped over him.
He tugged at his collar, ran a hand through his hair, and assumed a casual yet cautious stance before striding out of the cabin.
Meeting Sarutobi was somewhat intimidating—after all, the old man had a reputation level of 100,000! That was terrifying!
Outside the cabin...
On the grassy slope, Sarutobi stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the calm lake. His Hokage cloak, embroidered with the words "Third Hokage," billowed slightly in the breeze.
Haruto studied him carefully and extended his sensory perception. He finally confirmed it—Hiruzen Sarutobi was alone!
He had come by himself!
No guards, no entourage, no grand display—just a personal visit?
If word got out that the Third Hokage had come alone to visit a low-ranking ninja like Haruto, people wouldn't focus on how special Haruto was. Instead, they would be utterly shocked by Sarutobi's actions.
"Ahem!" Haruto cleared his throat before stepping forward and greeting respectfully, "Greetings, Hokage-sama."
"Mm." Sarutobi made a nasal acknowledgment without turning around. Instead, he gestured to his side, signaling Haruto to stand beside him rather than behind him.
Haruto took two steps forward and stood parallel to Sarutobi, though he maintained a respectful two-meter distance.
Sarutobi continued to gaze at the lake in silence, deep in thought.
"Hokage-sama, are you here... to give me my reward?" Haruto gathered his courage and asked. Then, he quickly added, "I know I've made a significant contribution this time, but I don't need money or any other material rewards. If possible... I'd prefer something practical, like high-level forbidden jutsu or secret techniques."
Haruto was a peculiar person—he showed due respect to powerful figures who treated him well, like Tsunade, whom he sometimes playfully insulted but mostly addressed formally. With Sarutobi, he was even more deferential. Yet, he was also blunt and direct. He wasn't shy about asking for what he believed he deserved.
Sarutobi glanced at Haruto, then returned his gaze to the lake and said indifferently, "What you deserve, you will receive. But that's not why I came to see you personally."
"Oh... Then, Hokage-sama, what is it?"
"There are some things... that I believe we need to discuss."
Haruto looked at Sarutobi, waiting for him to continue, but the Hokage lapsed into silence again. Haruto wondered if all high-ranking figures enjoyed playing the "mysterious silence" game, so he refrained from pushing further.
"You know..." Sarutobi finally spoke, his tone calm. "I have suspected you countless times in the past. And after some of the things you've done, I have even entertained the thought of killing you more than once."
Haruto froze. He hadn't expected Sarutobi to bring this up so openly. Thinking quickly, he responded, "I don't know what you were thinking, Hokage-sama, but I did notice that the Anbu were watching me."
"You have never truly been trusted. Do you understand that?" Sarutobi turned his head to look at Haruto.
"I understand." Haruto nodded. He had been captured as a Rain ninja, after all—of course, he understood his precarious position.
"And what do you think about that?" Sarutobi asked again.
"Thoughts, huh... Well, there are many things I have no control over. I never really had a choice," Haruto answered evasively.
Sarutobi nodded slightly before pausing, his expression growing serious.
"Then... have you ever thought about leaving Konoha?"